From The News Tribune
OLYMPIA — A judge ordered mixed martial arts champion Jeff Monson to surrender his passport Tuesday after Monson pleaded not guilty to malicious-mischief charges for allegedly spray-painting an anarchist symbol on the Capitol last year.
The order casts doubt on whether Monson will be able to appear in two scheduled fights overseas.
Monson, 38, has a fight scheduled in February in St. Petersburg, Russia, and in March in Tokyo. After Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Joe Wheeler asked that Monson surrender his passport during Monson's arraignment Tuesday, Monson leaned over and whispered to Wheeler, “Are you going to support my family now?”
Monson's attorney, Legrand Jones, said he will file a motion to release Monson's passport in an effort to enable him to appear for his two scheduled overseas fights. Monson was not taken into custody during Tuesday's hearing, and he is allowed to remain free after posting $20,000 bail.
